Sketching and writing aid



Dec. 14, 1954 M. PUF

SKETCHING AND WRITING AID Filed Dec. 3, 1949 WM m r ,m ,r W AA W U. B

United States Patent SKETCHENG AND WRITINGAID John C. M. Duff,Springfield Gardens, N. Y.

Application December 3, 1'949,'Serial No. 130,889

2 Claims. (Cl. 28115) The present invention relates generally to booksand more particularly to improvements in accessories for facilitatingsketching or writing in books or pads.

It is frequently necessary to write or to make notes or sketches in abook or upon a pad when one is either seated or standing while away froma desk or table. It has heretofore been .proposedto provide supportportions extensible from books and the like and writing boards have alsobeen suggested which were provided with body fitting portions anduponwhich papers or pads could be supported. The present invention relatesto an improved hinged writing or sketching board which may form either aloose-leaf or a cover of a book or pad with its hinged portionformedto'fit against the body and folda-ble to a position contiguouswith or wholly Within the outline of the book or pad when not in use.

It is a major object of this invention to provide an improved accessoryfor improving the use of books or pads. A further object resides inproviding means for improving the utility of books or pads when usedaway from desks or tables. A further object lies in providing a book orpad accessory which serves as a writing surface as well as a support forthe book or pad from the body of the user. A still further objectresides in providing such an accessory which may readily be attached tothe rings of a hinder or pad, or which alternatively may form one of thecovers of the book or binder. It is also an object to provide animproved hinge whereby the extended portion forms a rigid plane writingsurface flush with the main portion and which permits folding of theextended portion into a position in which it may provide a further coveror is otherwise contiguous with or contained within the outlines of thepad or book.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will occur tothose skilled in the art after reading the present descriptionconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof, in which;

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred form of the improvedaccessory in its opened position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same in its folded position;

Fig. 3 is an exploded isometric view of the hinge elements; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a further modification of the device.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 5 represents a conventionalloose-leaf book or hinder of the three-ring type. The book comprises apair of covers 6 and 7, which may either be flexible or rigid, thesecovers being interconnected by the back 8 to which the covers areflexibly hinged as at 9. A plurality of separable circular rings 10 aresuitably supported from the ring support member 11 within which suitablespring mechanism is housed by which the ring parts may be caused to snapinto their open and closed positions. A plurality of loose-leaf pages orsheets 12 suitably perforated or punched as at 13 are engaged with andsupported from the rings 10 in a well known manner such that they may beturned over from the position shown wherein it lies upon the cover 6 tothe position in which it overlies the cover 7.

The numeral 14 represents a rectangular sheet of preferably thin butrigid or stiff material having a smooth upper surface adapted to providea smooth support for a sheet such as 12 which may be turned over upon itfor writing or sketching. The sheet 14 may be of plastic material havinga smooth upper surface and its lower surface may be of cellular orwatered construction to 2,696,992 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 Ice provide ahigh strength-to-weight ratio.v The edge of the main portion 14 ispreferably punched-or perforated with a plurality of holes 15 spacedtobeengaged by the rings '10. A pair of additional holes may preferablybe provided in order to fit. the spacing of the rings in a two-ringbinder. An extended leaf or arm portion 16, of similar thickness andmaterial as the main support portion, is shaped as at 17 to-fit againstthe bodyof the user to aid in supporting the two accessory portions 14and 16 as well as the binder or book to-which they are attached. I

The main and extension portions '14 and 16 are pivotal'ly hingedtogether by the hinge construction 18 which is shown in detail in Fig.3. The main portion 14 is provided with integral spaced lugs ztiapertured as at 21 to receive the dowel or pin 19. The extension portion16 is also provided with a plurality of "spaced apertured lugs 22complementarily disposed such as'toqfit between the lugs 20 of theportion 14. Each portion of the device is provided between its lugs 20and 22 with a concave portion 25 arranged to bear against the lug of theopposite portion. The edge of the main portion 14 terminates in anabutment or shoulder 22 which is adapted to abut against the opposedshoulder 24 on the portion 16 with which it jcoopera'tes in limiting thehinging or pivotal movement of the portions to the degree position shownin Fig. 1. In this figure, with the upper or outer edge of the book heldby the left hand'an'd thebo'dy fitting portion 17 supported from thebody, any downward force or pressure exerted in the region ofthe joint22-24 will be opposed by the abutting shoulders of the hingeconstruction. A relatively rigid writing or sketching support isaccordingly provided with adequate area for resting the right fore-armin both the seated and standing positions of the user. When the Writingaid is not in use the extension 16 may be folded in the retractedposition beneath the main portion 14 as shown in Fig. 2 and when thecovers 6 and 7 are brought together and the book is closed, the writingaid lies entirely within the confines of the book or hinder.

Another form of the present improvement is shown in Fig. 4 wherein thenumeral 26 indicates a conventional cover for a loose-leaf binder inwhich the Writing surface portion 27 forms the other cover. The coversare interconnected by the back portion 28 by means of flexible hingessuchas 29. A plurality of rings 30 are supported from a suitable ringmounting mechanism 31 which in turn is secured to the back 28 of thebinder. A number of sheets of paper 32 punched as at 33 are engaged withthe rings 30 of the binder and may be turned over such that they lieupon the writing or sketching support 27 in the manner in which thedevice of Fig. 1 is used. A foldable portion 34 having a bodyfittingportion 35 is hinged at 36 to the main portion 27. The hingeconstruction 36 may also be similar to the hinge 18 of Fig. 1 or suchconstruction that it will oppose a downward force in the region of thejoint when its ends are supported by the user. The assembly 2734 of Fig.4 may otherwise be the same as the assembly 1416 of Fig. 1 except thatin forming a cover of the binder it is hinged directly to the back ofthe binder of which it preferably forms an integral part and is notpunched for engagement with the rings as in Fig. 1. When the extensionportion 34 is not in use it may be folded under as indicated by theconstruction lines in Fig. 4 and retained by a suitable clip or otherretainer against the main portion 27.

Other forms and modifications of the present device, both with respectto its general arrangement and the details of its several parts, are allintended to come within the scope and spirit of this invention as moreparticularly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved arm rest and writing surface of the type disclosed for aring binder type note book comprising a main rigid writing surfaceelement of substantially the size and shape of the sheets of the ringbinder type note book, a first edge of said writing surface elementhaving a plurality of apertures arranged for engagement by the rings ofthe ring binder note book, an

adjacent edge of said writing surface element having apertured lug meansforming a hinge portion, a rigid arm a rest element having an aperturedlug means forming a hinge portion along a first of its edges arrangedfor cooperative engagement with the hinge portion of said writingsurface element, both said hinge portions having abutting surfaces, anda hinge pin engaging both said hinge portions whereby both said elementsare unfoldable about said hinge portions outwardly through substantially180 degrees to an aligned plane surface in which said elements provide aflush rigid arm rest and writing surface and downward pressure thereonin the region of said hinge portion is opposed by the abutting surfacesof said hinge portions, said arm rest element foldable inwardly anddownwardly about said hinge portions and said hinge pin to a retractedposition adjacent said writing surface element in which it liescompletely Within the outline of the ring binder note book to which theapertures of said writing surface element are adapted to be engaged.

2. An improved arm rest and writing surface of the type disclosedcomprising a main rigid writing surface element of substantially thesize and shape of the sheets of a ring binder type note book, a firstedge of said writing surface element having a plurality of aperturesarranged for engagement by the rings of a ring binder note book, anadjacent edge of said writing surface element having apertured lug meansforming a hinge portion, a rigid body-fitting arm rest element having anapertured lug means forming a hinge portion along a first of its edgesarranged for cooperative engagement with the hinge portion of saidwriting surface element, both said hinge portions having abuttingsurfaces, and a hinge pin engaging both said hinge portions whereby bothsaid elements are unfoldable about said hinge portions outwardly throughsubstantially degrees to an aligned plane surface in which said elementsprovide a flush rigid arm rest and writing surface and downward pressurethereon in the region of said hinge portion is opposed by the abuttingsurfaces of said hinge portions, said arm rest element foldable inwardlyand downwardly about said hinge portions and said hinge pin to aretracted position adjacent said writing surface element in which itlies completely within the outline of a ring binder note book to whichthe apertures of said writing surface element are adapted to be engaged,said arm rest element having an edge adjacent said first hinge portionedge having a curved cut-away area forming a body-fitting portionarranged to steady both said elements in their unfolded operativeposition against the body of the user and to clear the rings of the ringbinder in its folded retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 643,164 Sehnell Feb. 13, 1900 878,030 Massey Feb. 4, 19081,371,459 Amlie Mar. 15, 1921 1,894,559 Fisher Ian. 17, 1933 2,091,667Barnes Aug. 31, 1937 2,136,186 Frost Nov. 8, 1938 2,194,003 Brooks Mar.19, 1940 2,516,239 Moss July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 20,533 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1903

